Know-how of primary eye care among Health Extension Workers (HEWs) in Southern Ethiopia

Background/ Aim: Frontline health personnel can play key role in preventing and controlling blindness if they have good understanding of primary eye care (PEC). This study determined knowledge, attitude and practice of PEC among health extension workers (HEWs) in southern Ethiopia. Methods: A cross sectional community based study was conducted between June and July 2007 in five randomly selected woredas of Gurage Zone. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire completed in a face-faceinterview with 111 HEWs. And this was supported with qualitative information from two focus group discussions. Result: HEWs (87%) had poor understanding of the functional definition of blindness. They identified cataract (85%), trachoma (96%) and trauma (64%) as causes of blindness. Although most (89%) correctly mentioned signs and symptoms of trachoma, but only 10% could describe its control strategy. Refractive error was wrongly perceived by most (77%) as only a near vision problem. Glaucoma was barely known but causes of childhood blindness were well identified.. Their main source of information for eye health care was pre-service training (50%) and refresher trainings by international organizations (46%). HEWs practiced mainly preventive aspects of PEC. Group discussions revealed that HEWs have good will to participate in PEC but barriers such as inadequate knowledge and lack of basic suppliesare limiting their contribution. Conclusion: Know-how of blinding eye disease among HEWs is too low to enable them contribute meaningfullytowards prevention of blindness. It is recommended that PEC be incorporated in their training curriculum